Graphophone



E. H. AME'I'.

GRAPBUPHONE.

Patented June 23, 1896.

FG.T.

(No Mode-1.)

maf W UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEe EDIVARD HILL AMET, OF VAUKEGAN,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES DICKINSON, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS.

GRAPHOPHONE.

SECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,693, dated J' une23, 1896.

Application filed June 6,1895. Serial No. 551,852I (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD HILL AMET, a citizen of the United States,residing in Wraukegan, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Graphophon es, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My ,invention relates to graphophones or phonogram reproducers.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of a simple, cheap,and durable construction, by means of which phonograms or sound-writingsmay be accurately and perfectly reproduced, without the more or lessharsh and disagreeable grating with which such reproductions haveheretofore generally been accompanied in graphophones hereto-I fore inuse.

In my invention I employ a stationary diaphragm fixed to the frame ofthe machine and connect the same to the reproducing-stylus by a soft-flexible cord or thread, preferably of silk, the horizontal travel ofthe stylus from one end of the phonogram-cylinder to the other being'provided for by a horizontally-swinging arm pivoted to the frame nearthe stationary diaphragm. The stylus is ,secured to the lower orhorizontal arm of a bell-crank lever, to the upper or vertical arm ofwhich is secured the soft cord leading to the diaphragm. The stylus andits supporting or carrying arm are thus free to be swung or moved fromone end to the ot-her of the phonogram-cylinder as it revolves by thesimple operation of the stylus following the spiral line ofsound-writing on the cylinder, the writing itself acting as ascrew-thread to swing the stylus-carrying arm on its pivot as required.

My invention consists in the novel devices and novel combinations ofparts and devices herein shown and described, and specified in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a mechanismembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal In thedrawings, A represents the frame ofy the machine.

B is the phonogram-holding revolving cylinder or shaft, the sameextending, as usual, in a horizontal position and being continuouslyrevolved by any suitable mechanism 5 5 or motor. The phonogram shaft orholder B has no traveling or traversing movement, but simply rotates onits axis.

As the mechanism for continuously revolving the phonogram cylinder orholder is al- 6o readywell known to those skilled in the art, and as myinvention is entirely independent of the particular construction of thisdriving mechanism or motor, it is not necessary to a full understandingof my improvement to 6 5' herein show or describe this driving mechanismor motor.

O is the phonogram-cylinder,of Wax or other material, upon which thesound writing to be reproduced has been made.

D is the stationary diaphragm, its ring d being fixed to the frame A. Itis furnished, as usual, with a bell or funnel d', to which Jthe ear-tubemay be connected. This stationary diaphragm is preferably fixed to the 75 frame at a distance of about eight inches from the revolving diaphragmcylinder or holder B and slightly above it.

E is the reproducing-stylus, the same being of any ordinary or suitableconstruction. 8o

F is the bell-crank lever, to the lower horizontal arm of which thereproducing-stylus is secured.

G is a soft exible cord, preferably of waxed silk or cotton, attached atone end to the ver- 85 tical upper arm of the bell-crank lever F, andsecured at its other end to the diaphragm D, preferably at the centerthereof. This attachment is made preferably by means of a small hook d2,glued or cemented to the dia- 9o phragm.

II is a horizontally-Siringing lever or arm pivoted to the frame at oneend near the diaphragm, and preferably below the same. The bearing orjournal h h for this lever is 9 5 preferably of the pivot or center-bearing type, so that it may swing or turn horizontally with littlefriction. The horizontallyswinging arm or lever II is also preferablyfurnished with a movable section or member roo H hinged or pivoted at h"to the main portion of the lever by a horizontal pivot.

The

bell-crank lever F, carrying the reproducingstylus E, is pivoted at f'to this hinged outer section or member H' of the lever H.

Owing to the lengthot' the horizontallyswinging arm, upon the outer endof which the reproducing-stylus is mounted, the reproducing-stylus isadapted to move from one end of the phonogram-cylinder to the other andstill remain at all times very nearly directly over the axis of thephonogram-cylinder, as the horizontal arc in which the stylus movescarries it very little out of a straight line in moving half the lengthof the phonogram-cylinder; and as the phonogram-cylinder is ordinarilyabout two inches in diameter, this slight movement of the stylus to oneside of a vertical plane through the axis of the phonogram-cylinder Ifind does not interfere in the least with the proper operation of themachine.

As the connection between the diaphragm and stylus is made through theagency of a soft flexiblefcord stretched gently taut, all disagreeable,harsh, or strident sounds, due to the riding of the stylus over thephonogram, are obvia-ted and the sounds are reproduced with greataccuracy and perfection and very free from disagreeable modificationthrough the action of the reproducing mechanism. In this respect mygraphophonc operates much on the same principle as the old loverstelegraph or string-telephone. The horizontallyswingingreproducing-stylus-carrying arm H, after traversing thephonogram-cylinder from end to end, may be returned to the beginning endof the cylinder by hand by simply taking hold of the handle H2 at theend of the lever and swinging it back. For convenience, however, I haveprovided the mechanism with a device for automatically returning the armH to its first position after reaching the farther end of the cylinder.This returning device may be of any suitable kind, form, orconstruction. In the drawings I have illustrated one suitable form ofmechanism for this purpose, the same consisting of a vibrating spring orflexible arm K, pivoted at K to the frame of the machine and adapted tovibrate normally in. a diagonal plane across the machine and under theswinging arm H, and to engage the hook 7a, secured to said swinging armonly when the swinging arm reaches the final end of thephonogram-cylinder, and

then, after thus engaging said hook, to move transversely across themachine and return the arm H to the other end of the cylinder, at whichpoint the flexible lever K automatically disen gages the hook byslipping out of it, the disengagement at this side being due to theradial or pivotal movement of the flexible arm K about its own pivot orcenter of motion. By reason of the arm K being made flexible or in theform of a light iat spring, it is, by its bending, adapted to movetransversely with the hook 7o when in engagement therewith, instead ofdiagonally, as it does normally. The iiexible arm K may be automaticallyand continuously vibrated back and forth by any suitable connectingmechanism, connecting it with the motor which drives the phonogramcylinder or holder B. As illustrated in the drawings, this mechanismconsists simply of a crank K2 on one of the shafts of the motor,connected by a link K3 with an arm K4, secured to or made integral withthe ieXible lever K.

To limit the throw of the horizontallyswinging arm H, stops M M areprovided, thc same being made cam-shaped, so that by turning them thethrow may be adjusted to cylinders of different lengths.

As the outer member H of the horizontallyswinging arm H is pivoted tothe main portion of said arm, and as the lever H is supported in ahorizontal position by its pivot-bearings h h, it will be observed thatthe weight ot' this hinged section of the lever carrying the styluscauses the stylus to ride gently upon the phonogram-cylinder, and at thesame time, through the bell-crank lever F, to keep the flexible cord Gproperly taut.

I claiml. In a graphophone, the combination with a non-traversingphonogram-holder and a stationary diaphragm of a traveling or movable`reproducing-stylus, free to traverse the phonogram cylinder or recordand means for connecting the movable stylus mechanically with thestationary diaphragm, substantially as specified.

2. In a graphophone the combination with a non-traversingphonogram-holder and a stationary diaphragm of a pivotedhorizontallyswinging arm, and a reproducingstylus mounted upon the outerend of said arm and having a mechanical connection with said diaphragm,substantially as specified.

3. In a graphophone the combination of a non-traversin g revolvingphonogram cylinder or holder and` a stationary diaphragm, with a movableor traveling reproducer-stylus adapted to move from end to end of thecylinder, and a horizontally swinging or pivoted arm upon which thereproducing-stylus is mounted and by which it is carried to and fro fromend to end of the cylinder and a mechanical connection between saiddiaphragm and stylus, substantially as specified.

4t. The combination with a horizontal revolving, non-traversingphonogram cylinder or holder, of a stationary sound-reproducing deviceor diaphragm, a horizontally-swinging arm and a reproducing-styluscarried by said arm and free to be swung or moved from one end of thecylinder to the other as the cylinder revolves by the thread or spiralwriting on the cylinder itself, and means connecting mechanically saidmovable stylus and said stationary sound-reproducing device or diaphragmfor conveying the sound-vibrations from the stylus to saidsound-reproducing device or diaphragm, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a horizontal revolving, non-traversing phonogramcylinder TOO IOS

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` or holder, of a stationary sound-reproducing device or diaphragm, ahorizontally-swinging arm and a reproducing-stylus carried by said armand free to be swung or moved from one end of `the cylinder tothe otheras the cylinder revolves by the thread or spiral Writin g on thecylinder itself, and means connecting mechanically said movable stylusand said stationary sound-reproducing device or diaphragm for conveyingthe sound-vibrations from the stylus to said sound-reproducing device ordiaphragm, said horizontally-swinging arm having a vertic( lly-hin gedsection or member' upon Which the stylus is directly mounted,substantially as specified.

G. In a graphophone, the combination with the stationary diaphragm, of ahorizontal revolving non-traversing phonogram-holder, ahorizontally-swinging arm pivoted to the frame near said diaphragm andprovided with a vertically-swinging hinged section, a bell-crank levermounted upon said hinged section, a reproducing-stylus secured to saidbell-crank lever, and means connecting said bell-crank lever with saiddiaphragm, substantially as specified.

7. In a gra-phophone, the combination With the stationary diaphragm, ofa horizontal revolving non -traversing phonogram holder, ahorizontally-swinging arm pivoted to the frame near said diaphragm andprovided With a vertically-swinging hinged section, a bellcranli levermounted upon said hinged section, a reproducing-stylus secured to saidbellcrank lever, and a soi't flexible cord connecting said bell-cranklever with said diaphragm, substantially as specified.

8. In a graphophone, the combination with the stationary diaphragm, of ahorizontal revolving phonogram-holder, a horizontallyswinging armpivoted to the frame near said diaphragm and provided with averticallyswinging hinged section, a bell-crank lever mounted upon saidhinged section, a reprodncing-stylus secured to said bell-crank lever, asoft flexible cord connecting said bellcrank lever and mechanism forautomatically returning said horizontally-swinging arm to position,substantially as specified.

9. In a graphophone, the combination with a stationary diaphragm, of ahorizontal revolving phonogram-holder, a horizontallyswinging armpivoted to the frame near said diaphragm and provided with averticallysxvinging hinged section, a bell-crank lever mounted upon saidhinged section, a reproducing-stylus secured to said bell-crank lever, asoft flexible cord connecting said bellcrank lever with said diaphragm,and mechanism for automatically returning said horizontally-swinging armto position, the same consisting in a continuously-movingdiagonally-vibratin g ilexible lever adapted to engage saidhorizontally-enfin ging arm, substantially as speciiied.

l0. In a graphophone, the combination with the stationary diaphragm, ofa horizontal revolving phonogram-holder, a horizontallyswinging armpivoted to the frame near said diaphragm and provided with averticallyswinging hinged section, a bell-crank lever mounted upon saidhinged section, a reproducing-stylus secured to said bell-crank lever, asoft flexible cord connecting said bellcranlz lever with said diaphragmand mechanism for automatically returning said horizontally-swinging armto position, the same consisting in a continuously movingdiagonally-vibrating flexible lever adapted to engage said horizontallyswinging arm, said horizontally-swinging arm being furnished With a hook7s to engage said ilexible lever, substantially as specified.

ll. The combination With a revolving horizontal, non-traversingphonogram-holder, of a stylus, and a horizontally-swinging pivotedstylus-carrying arm moved from one end ot' the cylinder to the otherbythe riding of the stylus in the thread or spiral line of Writing onthe phonogram-cylinder itself, a diaphragm or sound-vibratable devicemounted on the stationary frame of the machine and mechanical means forcommunicating the sound-vibrations from said movable stylus to saidstationary sound vibratable device, substantially as speciiied.

l2. The combination with a revolving horizontal non-traversingphonogram-holder, of a horizontally-swirl ging pivoted stylus-carryingarm, a stationarj7 diaphragm, astylus and mechanical means forconnecting the stylus and the diaphragm, substantially as specied.

13. The combination With a revolving horizontal phonogram-hold er of ahorizontallyswinging pivoted stylus-carrying arm,a stylus operating toswing said arm on its pivot from one end of the holder to the other byfollowing the thread or line of Writing on the phonogram-cylinder itselfand mechanism for automatically returning said swinging arm to position,said stylus-carrying arm being free to vibrate or swing horizontally onits pivot substantially as specified.

14:. The combination With a revolving horizontal phonogram-holder, of ahorizontallyswinging pivoted stylus-carrying arm, and mechanism forautomatically returning said swinging arm to position, said mechanismcomprising the diagonally-vibrating flexible arm adapted to engage anddisengage said horizontally-swinging arm, substantially as specified.

EDVARD HILL AMET.

Witnesses:

I-I. M. MUNDAY, S. E. Cunris.

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